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I never tore out a wedding gown from a magazine, fantasised about my first dance, or even particularly enjoyed going to weddings as a guest. And as a 1970s feminist with a strong sense of self-determination, I didn’t feel that my 30-year-old daughter needed to be married to be happy, or start a family.

From the announcement, though, I did pledge to do whatever I could to help Alice and Jason in their plans. Principally, this meant offering advice in choosing Alice’s dress and attending the fittings. Her friends had thought that my women’s magazine experience (which included...